As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

X3 -- I Have No Business Writing This OP

Drake ChambersDrake Chambers Lay out my formal shorts.Registered User regular
edited January 2011 in Games and Technology
X3 Gold is available on Impulse right now for $6.25. Inspired by vague memories of previous threads devoted to this game, I'm downloading it now. I'm a total newb to the X series.

I recall that there are some strong opinions regarding which of the two versions in Gold (Reunion and Terran Conflict) should be played and how. I'd love to hear about those again. I couldn't find the old threads but I think there were some really helpful and info-dense OPs done in the past. I'd be happy to repost that info if anyone can link me to it.

Drake Chambers on
«1

Posts

  • HadjiQuestHadjiQuest Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Bummer, I got Terran Conflict on Steam for $7 during their holiday sale, and the X Superbox was $12.

    Still, would like to contribute, even though I may not get around to it.

    You should forum search, I think there was a recent X thread when that sale happened, although it wasn't very in-depth. I think the conclusion was that Terran Conflict is generally better and more accessible, while Reunion has a slightly more involved story/campaign.

    HadjiQuest on
  • Delta AssaultDelta Assault Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Reunion's story/campaign was janky and made almost no sense. But that's ok, because the game really isn't about its story.

    It's about going out into space and trading and buying up super freighters. Then outfitting them with universal trader modules so they cruise the galaxy making money for you. You leave the game running overnight with time acceleration on so the money comes quicker. Eventually you buy up a battleship or two and they end up disappointing you with how underpowered they really are and you stop playing the game.

    Delta Assault on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    Reunion is better in some ways, TC in others. If you play TC first you will never be able to enjoy reunion, but TC has some core features locked behind ludicrously grind heavy quests.

    I mean roughly as grind heavy as say, fitting out 5 characters in wow with the best stuff you can get

    Tube on
  • Drake ChambersDrake Chambers Lay out my formal shorts. Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    With forum search functionality disabled I did the poor-man's CTRL-F for X3 over the ten pages of threads and didn't get any hits but I may have just silly goosed it up. Apologies if this turns out to be a duplicate.

    I'm thinking I'll go ahead start with Terran Conflict given what I've heard so far. I don't think the story / campaign for either is really supposed to be stellar and I'm more in the mood for a giant galactic sandbox right now anyway.

    I'd also love to hear people's thoughts on available mods. Looks like an X-Tended mod for Terran Conflict was actually just released last month. I was already excited to try the game so it came as an extra bonus surprise that it's still being actively modded.

    Drake Chambers on
  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I think Reunion has lower system requirements, but if you can run TC, I understand there's no reason to run Reunion; it is, as they say, better in every way.

    [EDIT: I stand corrected. Many people say that TC is better in every way, but not all. I've never played X3:R, so I don't have any basis for comparison; I just leapt right into TC.]

    One of our own - Sorenson - has the excellent Naval Shuffle mod which has, among other things, a starting fighter for the Terran campaign that doesn't suck!

    Elvenshae on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    TC is not better in every way. It is cluttered, poorly balanced and contains about five times more grinding than X3. It has interface improvements and it is easier to find missions, but the interface is still a 3/10 interface as opposed to X3's 2. The new race was laughably badly implemented, and the new features are largely broken, badly designed time sinks. Essentially the only thing that is better is the ability to find missions, which is admittedly much better. Also missiles look a lot nicer.

    I'm not saying TC is particularly worse than X3. They're both terrible games in their own right.

    Tube on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    What's a good way to get into these games? I've owned them since the 09 christmas sale and they've never really grabbed me for more than an hour. Is there like a beginner guide available somewhere?

    Lord Yod on
    steam_sig.png
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    What's a good way to get into these games?

    Uninstall them and go and look at screenshots on the internet.

    Tube on
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    You can actually save another 10% using the coupon "SURVEY2010"

    LewieP on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    Lewie, go to your room.

    Tube on
  • Drake ChambersDrake Chambers Lay out my formal shorts. Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    What's a good way to get into these games?

    Uninstall them and go and look at screenshots on the internet.

    So the sense I'm getting here is that you hated the crap out of these games and compulsively played them for hundreds of hours. Am I in the ballpark? :)

    Drake Chambers on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    What's a good way to get into these games?

    Uninstall them and go and look at screenshots on the internet.

    So the sense I'm getting here is that you hated the crap out of these games and compulsively played them for hundreds of hours. Am I in the ballpark? :)

    If you ask a recovering crack addict what the best way to take crack is, don't be suprised if he says "don't do crack. crack is horrible and has a shitty interface"

    Tube on
  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    What's a good way to get into these games? I've owned them since the 09 christmas sale and they've never really grabbed me for more than an hour. Is there like a beginner guide available somewhere?

    Start with the Terran Campaign. Do the campaign missions (book icons, I think, on the stations that have them) for awhile until you run into something you can't quite handle. Then, pause for a bit, do some other stuff (see below), and come back to it.

    When Terran Command gives you a second fighter ship (the faster, recon fighter) sell it. They give it to you sans-guns, which are ridiculously expensive. Instead, if you want wingmen, go capture some pirate fighters by shooting them down until they have no shields and weakened hull, and then waiting - give them a chance to bail out. If they do, you can claim the ship. Eventually, Terran command will give you three more ships. By then, you might be able to outfit one or two of them and make them useful.

    In ... Teladii? ... space, you'll often find Duke's Transport company ships, which are hostile by default and somewhat undergunned (but be careful; they can still kill you if you aren't careful). Try making one of *them* bail out, and you've got your first (really expensive!) trading ship. Slap some system upgrades on it, and have it do short trading runs. That'll make some money, which will let you (eventually) buy the software upgrades that will let the ship operate completely independently. I usually assign one or two of my spare fighters to fly escort on it, but as long as you stay in relatively safe sectors, that's not required.

    At this point, you should have a general hang of how the game plays, and you can start working your way up the food chain.

    Those're my tips, anyway.

    EDIT:

    Also, cocaine's a helluva drug.

    Elvenshae on
  • Delta AssaultDelta Assault Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    What's a good way to get into these games? I've owned them since the 09 christmas sale and they've never really grabbed me for more than an hour. Is there like a beginner guide available somewhere?

    Their forums have a ton of useful shit.

    Delta Assault on
  • HeirHeir Ausitn, TXRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Do not let CT see this thread. He'll foam at the mouth and disappear for three months, only to occasionally log back on to post pictures of spaceships in random screenshot threads.
    nyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrggggghhhhhhh

    Heir on
    camo_sig2.png
  • GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I have owned a copy of Terran Conflict for approximately a year and a half and have played it like 2-3 hours total.

    I am afraid to reinstall it. On one hand, I worry that I will never get the hang of it and be forced to give up in shame. On the other hand, I am terrified that it will gain some sort of hold over me and then my time as a semi-functional human being will be over. But the guilt and uncertainty of never knowing either way nags at me.

    What do I do you guys.

    Gaslight on
  • DashuiDashui Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Does the patched Terran Conflict still have mercenary missions that give you oodles of money? I never did play much of it, but if I re-install it I want to basically just earn my keep by taking on mercenary contracts. I really don't want to delve into the economic section of the game. I enjoy piloting ships and shooting things with laser beams, not building up an economic empire through battery exporting.

    Dashui on
    Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
  • UltimanecatUltimanecat Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I'm in TC right now. Like, literally posting from the steam overlay as I repair some shit.

    Some say I am retarded for manually repairing shit, and I should mod the game. I say to them - yes, I probably am. But are achievements available in modded TC? I honestly don't know, and am afraid to find out.

    If you're into this sort of thing, they are good. I pop into TC for a few hours every couple weeks just to increment my increments. Get a little bit richer, little bit cooler stuff. Then I get bored and play an actual game.

    Edit: To the above post: I barely have touched the "economic" stuff. My Split TL is just a mobile base. I've hardly done any trading missions. That said, the most I've seen offered for a combat mission is maybe 4 mil or so. Usually of the type "Kill this guy 10 sectors away after you talk to this other guy 4 sectors in the wrong direction in the next 11 minutes type". There are also some convoy attack missions that pay well but they tank your species rep so I never bother.

    Ultimanecat on
    SteamID : same as my PA forum name
  • ObiFettObiFett Use the Force As You WishRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I got the Superbox during the sale and was waiting for a thread to pop up.

    I was reaaaaaalllly confused at first and spent nearly a day just reading about how to play the game.

    I am maybe 15 hours in and have captured tons of ships, but have never left my Sabre. I finally feel comfortable about jumping into another ship and kitting it out. Any advice on weapons?

    Also, I have a real hard time finding a trading opportunity that makes a profit. I find stations that need stuff but are buying it at a lower cost than the production place is selling it. Is there a way to find good trading opportunities outside of flying from sector to sector?

    I found a really good cockpit mod as well as a few visual mods that seriously improve the game's feel. I would recommend modding as most of them really do fix the game in some much needed ways.

    ObiFett on
  • DarkMechaDarkMecha The Outer SpaceRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I like a nova with like 8 HEPTs.

    It's hard not to cackle as you spew waves of green death!

    DarkMecha on
    Steam Profile | My Art | NID: DarkMecha (SW-4787-9571-8977) | PSN: DarkMecha
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    DarkMecha wrote: »
    I like a nova with like 8 HEPTs.

    It's hard not to cackle as you spew waves of green death!

    I like phased repeaters myself

    Buttcleft on
  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    This game is really fun with mods.


    Especially TC. Though getting to the part where you can have fun is a chore if you don't cheat (And I always cheat myself some basic amenities at the start of a game, that's it. No fucking way i'm going to grind for ten hours just so I can get my first factory and start actually making money at a decent pace.).


    I've got myself my very own pirate empire. Thanks to the race wars, and conquerable sectors mod, we own the south-eastern section of the map. Everyone hates us with the exception of the Yaki, Terrans, and ATF.


    But that's ok. Because with all of these Galleon carriers, fighters, and admirals to command my fleets that I have at my command, I can curb stomp anything I don't like that comes into my territory.

    Also, apparently Xtended came out with a TC version of X-Tended. It adds alot of stuff and is very good from what I hear. Which isn't surprising, since the original X-Tended at least partially inspired TC.



    Edit: Tokyo's are fucking awesome. My core carrier group, which I command, is comprised of three of them. Damn if it isn't hard to get one, but they're basically carriers that act as battleships and are damn near unstoppable.

    You just have to keep them away from bombers. Which will wreck anything that is a cap class or higher, really.

    Archonex on
  • DarkMechaDarkMecha The Outer SpaceRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Buttcleft wrote: »
    DarkMecha wrote: »
    I like a nova with like 8 HEPTs.

    It's hard not to cackle as you spew waves of green death!

    I like phased repeaters myself

    Oh! Yeah I forgot about those, they rock too.

    DarkMecha on
    Steam Profile | My Art | NID: DarkMecha (SW-4787-9571-8977) | PSN: DarkMecha
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    if you get the bailout mod, you dont have to grind for hours to get your empire running.

    Just cruise some sectors adjacent to pirate sectors,and harvest the abandond ships.

    fly them to a safe area, use your repair laser on them to make the hull 100%, then sell at the nearest shipyard. You can also equip your main craft for free by salvaging the equipment before selling

    Buttcleft on
  • UltimanecatUltimanecat Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I've actually started to make a shitload of money - well, a shitload to my impoverished combat-only character. The "defend this installation" missions now always have bombers jumping in. Bombers ALWAYS bail and are worth selling for like 4-5 million.

    I've earned more money in the last day than I did in a few weeks leading up to this point.

    I also just beat the Terran campaign. It may have been fixed in a patch but I have no idea what Tube is talking about with the grinding. I assume he's talking about training up marines, which is tedious yes but not necessary as the the missions where you have to capture something seem to proceed whether you actually attempt to capture anything or not.

    Ultimanecat on
    SteamID : same as my PA forum name
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Get mods to reduce the grinding for the core features Tube talks about. There's one for the hub that reduces them to basically a cup of tea and a crumpet.
    If you don't care about being op use terran ships if you do don't.
    If you decide to make yourself a big ass empire you are going to want to look up the logistics mods out there and learn how to use them. There's some fantastic mods that let you set up ships that do their job automatically. They sort of level up just like automatic traders, only they're a hell of a lot smarter.
    I want to get back into this only I've forgotten what mods I used so when it comes to upgrading them for the new patch I'm going to have to sort through them one by one or I might mess up my save.
    I installed way too many though. Don't install too many or you'll be in my shoes come patch time. :)

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    I also just beat the Terran campaign. It may have been fixed in a patch but I have no idea what Tube is talking about with the grinding

    You ever build a hub son

    Tube on
  • UltimanecatUltimanecat Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I also just beat the Terran campaign. It may have been fixed in a patch but I have no idea what Tube is talking about with the grinding

    You ever build a hub son

    No. There definitely is no quest that requires it in the Terran campaign (maybe the Goner stuff? I've mostly ignored the Goner stuff so far).

    The idea of building factories and closed loops and devising trading circuits so far has just scared the crap out of me. I'm content at the moment jumping my fleet into a system and shooting things.

    Ultimanecat on
    SteamID : same as my PA forum name
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    The Terran campaign is a tutorial. Congratulations. You beat the tutorial.

    Tube on
  • UltimanecatUltimanecat Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    but TC has some core features locked behind ludicrously grind heavy quests.

    I mean roughly as grind heavy as say, fitting out 5 characters in wow with the best stuff you can get

    That's all I was picking up on. After having gotten through it so unceremoniously I know there is nothing special about the Terran campaign, other than outfitting you with some nice ships for free.

    But I don't think anything is locked out for me either, unless earning money to afford them is what you mean.

    Edit: Oh wait, maybe you mean your reputation? Yeah, that could take awhile... I just never noticed because I got pretty high with most everyone just by taking all of the combat missions I would have anyway.

    Ultimanecat on
    SteamID : same as my PA forum name
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    The hub plot is locked out for you. I'm talking about the hub plot.

    Tube on
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Let me explain the hub for those who don't know the hub.

    Later in the game you get your own system. It's got gates that can be linked in between any other set of gates. For example, between argon prime and home of light. Ships going from argon prime to home of light will now have to travel through your little sector as well. Your personal sector doesn't move, you just insert your gates in between them.

    It's not abig sector and has no asteroids, it's just a movable sector hub.

    It takes roughly ten billion everything ever to build. If you do the normal requirements you could be doing this for six months + if you are a casual gamer. To do it at a reasonable speed you will need to drain the resources of several sectors simultaneously with fleets of transport ships moving resources to the hub from the huge ass factory complexes you will need to build.

    So go and find a mod that'll make the requirements take as long as a cup of tea and a crumpet.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • UltimanecatUltimanecat Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Ah, alright. *looks it up*.

    What the Christ? Why would anyone do that to themselves?

    Ultimanecat on
    SteamID : same as my PA forum name
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    You can't get your personal HQ until you finish the hub plot, which is why it's such a pain. If they hadn't made you finish the hub first it wouldn't be so bad since you unlock a gate at a time. Getting the whole thing would just be a sort of extra to do, only if you want to.

    But no they decided to get the really cool building (Headquarters) you gotta do this infinite grind.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • UltimanecatUltimanecat Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Yeah, I have pretty much zero interest in going through that. I'm happy enough as it is just having a flotilla to come back to after doing some missions.

    Ultimanecat on
    SteamID : same as my PA forum name
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    Then most of the cool stuff you can do with the player HQ involves... more grinding.

    Tube on
  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    You can't get your personal HQ until you finish the hub plot, which is why it's such a pain. If they hadn't made you finish the hub first it wouldn't be so bad since you unlock a gate at a time. Getting the whole thing would just be a sort of extra to do, only if you want to.

    But no they decided to get the really cool building (Headquarters) you gotta do this infinite grind.

    You could just do what the rest of us sane folk do, and cheat yourself a HQ.


    In fact, if you get a HQ set up in a sector you own, that's large, and has been conquered, I recall it being quite easy.


    Just attach a bunch of complexes to produce what it needs to build a ship, or ammunition, and you're good to go.


    But yeah. TC is one of those games you either need to mod to make it really fun, or cheat at the start to get to the fun part. It's sort of like Mount and Blade, in regards to that.



    Now, try finding the ultra secret HQ style ship/s without a guide. Most folk don't even know they exist. Nevermind actually get one of them.

    Others never find them because they find unexplored space to be too creepy.

    Archonex on
  • ObiFettObiFett Use the Force As You WishRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    It looks like the Hub Plot was changed after some patches. The requirements aren't as high as they were in the beginning.

    Also, Lewie P's Stepdad, how many hours did you put into this game? I assume you hate the game because it sucked so much of your life away and didn't return the favor with gaming 'fun'?

    ObiFett on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2011
    Just... too many.

    Tube on
  • korodullinkorodullin What. SCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I would like to get back into TC again, but I'm curious about some of the mods you guys run. Got any links to them? I've been having a lot of trouble finding some of the stuff you guys talk about using a lot.

    korodullin on
    ZvOMJnu.png
    - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
Sign In or Register to comment.